Espionage 1- The U.S spy plane incident - By Liam Reardon
"I was a pilot flying an airplane and it just so happened that, where I was flying, made what I was doing spying" - Gary Powers
Source 1-This source depicts an American U2 plane used to spy on Soviet bases. This type of plane, named the 'U-2', flew at altitudes that could not be reached or targeted at by Soviet missiles of the time. This type of plane was crucial to longevity of the spying, however, in time the Russians designed a plane that could reach such altitudes as the U-2 could.
Summary and background info:In July 1957, the U.S President of the time, Dwight D. Eisenhower created a covert intelligent base in Pakistan that would enable U-2 spy planes to fly over USSR military territory for surveillance. The aim of these fly over missions was to establish how powerful the Soviets nuclear weapons were. It was largely known that the Soviets believed they had state of the art nuclear weapons, however, there was no evidence to prove this. For nearly four years the Americans gained vital information of the USSR by this espionage, including that the USSR nuclear power was far less than claimed by the Soviets themselves. The Soviets were aware of these fly overs taking place, however, they were powerless to stop them due to their missiles being unable to reach U.S.A spying aircrafts. By early 1960 the Soviets had developed a new air missile that could now target longer ranges, and so on the 1st of May 1960, the Union of Soviet Socialist republic (USSR) shot down an American U-2 spy plane in Soviet territory. The pilot of the spy plane was Francis Gary Powers, who himself was on direct order from President Dwight D. Einsenhower and the CIA to fly over USSR military bases and execute photographic evidence of USSR militaristic expansion.
2) State Department Statement, May 7, 1960.
(Department of State Bulletin, May 23,1960, p. 818-819)
The Department has received the text of Mr. Krushchev's further remarks about the unarmed plane which is reported to have been shot down in the Soviet Union. As previously announced, it was known that a U-2 plane was missing. As a result of the inquiry ordered by the President it has been established that insofar as the authorities in Washington are concerned there was no authorization for any such flight as described by Mr. Khrushchev.
Nevertheless it appears that in endeavoring to obtain information now concealed behind the Iron Curtain a flight over Soviet territory was probably undertaken by an unarmed civilian U-2 plane.
It is certainly no secret that, given the state of the world today, intelligence collection activities are practiced by all countries, and postwar history certainly reveals that the Soviet Union has not been lagging behind in this field.
The necessity for such activities as measures for legitimate national defense is enhanced by the excessive secrecy practiced by the Soviet Union in contrast to the free world.
One of the things creating tension in the world today is apprehension over surprise attack with weapon of mass destruction.
To reduce mutual suspicion and to give a measure of protection against surprise attack the United States in 1955 offered its open-skies proposal -- a proposal which was rejected out of hand by the Soviet Union. It is in relation to the danger of surprise attack that planes
of the type of unarmed civilian U-2 aircraftave made flights along the frontiers of the free world for the past 4 years.
Source 2- This source is a letter from the department of state regarding the alleged attacks by a U-2 plane on Soviet land. This source reveals that spying at the time was not uncommon and was in fact necessary to keep an eye on other countries military advancements, with the U.S.A implicating the Soviets "had been not been lagging behind in this field".
Source 3 - This cartoon is from a soviet cartoonist appearing in a local Soviet newspaper in May, 1962. The source suggests that the U-2 plane in picture is being constantly disguised to avoid Soviet watch. The plane is being painted white as a camouflage so that the Soviets cannot view the planes flying overhead.
Perspectives:The U2 spy plane incident in May 1960, was a focal point in the Cold War which raised tensions between the two camps. As to be expected, both sides having very differing views regarding the alleged espionage. The Americans perspective was that spying was necessary in order to keep track on Soviet military expansion. It was well documented in the media that the Soviets had developed a nuclear bomb more powerful and destructive than any other available in the world, giving them a distinct advantage over the Americans. The Americans used the spying as way to either prove or dispel these rumours, as well as comparing their weapons compared to the Russians. The Americans initially denied the attack, however, they were forced to admit to the espionage due to overwhelming evidence found on Gary Powers plane. Contrast to this is the Soviets approach regarding the issue, the Soviets believed that the spying was unfair and was a ploy from the Americans to steal Soviet ideas. As to be expected, the Soviets took a tenacious stance on the issue, with negotiations being almost near impossible.
Source 4- This source in the front page of the New York times on the 4th of August 1960 shows a headline about the Gary Powers trial in Russia. Gary Powers received 10 years for espionage, with many critics detailing this sentence as harsh. This source further corroborates this sentiment, with the headline 'Eisenhower finds it severe'.
Source 5 - This cartoon appeared in a Russian newspaper in 1960 detailing the use of the spy planes by the Americans. This source reveals the attitudes of the Soviets towards the U.S.A, that is the Americans were using the spy planes for the reasons of spying on Soviet land and surveillance on Soviet military expansion.
Implications:
Due to overwhelming evidence against the U.S.A’s espionage, President Eisenhower was left to no alternative option but to admit the truth of the spy operation. Gary Powers, a man simply doing the task he was assigned to do, was sent to 10 years imprisonment on espionage charges under Soviet laws. Powers served one year and nine months of the sentence before being released in an exchange for captured Russian spy Rudolf Abel. There were many short and long term implications of the U2 spy plane incident. A summit was organised for the 14th of May 1960 to help ease the growing tension between the USSR and to discuss issues relating to nuclear weapon ban and Berlin. At the summit, the Soviet president Khrushchev demanded an apology from Eisenhower, however, Eisenhower refused and Khrushchev left the summit straight away. Some of the consequences of the collapsed summit meeting were, there was no test ban treat, there was no talk about the growing problem of Berlin, which consequently led to the creation of the Berlin Wall.
Source 6- This source presents the flight route taken by U-2 spy planes enroute to Soviet land. This source explains a subtle yet crucial part of the flight journey, the starting point - Pakistan. In 1957, the then President of the U.S.A, Dwight Eisenhower, struck a deal with Pakistan officials to create a military start point in Pakistani land. As Pakistan was on the border of Soviet land, this enabled spying to be short, precise and well planned, as well as reducing the risk of Soviet defence attacks due to the short distance having to be travelled by American U-2 spy planes.
Q1- “Cold War? Heck, it was a hot war!” (Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defence 1961 – 1968)
To what extent do you agree with Robert McNamara’s statement that it was a ‘hot war’? -The words Cold War are defined by a state of political hostility between countries epitomised through political and economical actions, however, not by military action. While the Cold War was not a militaristic battle, Robert McNamara’s quote has a certain element of truth about it. The Cold War is characterized as not being a violent war, however, due to the tensions between U.S.A and the Soviets there were in fact moments of actual violence “Although the shooting war is over, we are in the midst of a cold war which is getting warmer.”Bernard Baruch, US businessman, 1947. The Korean War that occurred between June 25, 1950 and July 27, 1953 was a violent was in which the South Koreans and North Koreans fought. The North Korean communist army were joined by Communist Soviet forces, whilst the American’s joined the South Koreans in the fight. In this battle 55,000 Americans died, on top of this there were in excess of 250,000 Korean casualties, proving that the Cold War was not just a battle of propaganda. Moreover, there was multiple small scale incidents that involved the fatalities of people on either side, such as Rudolf Anderson who was the only person shot down during the Cuban Missile crisis. While the Cold war was not violent in nature, there were particular deaths as a results of the growing pressure between the two countries that could justify the title of a ‘hot war’.
Q2 Why is the Cold War worth remembering? - The Cold war, while being a dark stain on the world at the time, provided many reasons as to why it was worth remembering. The Cold War forged the new path for weaponry of choice, with outdated gun warfare being replaced by the much more powerful and damaging nuclear warfare. The Cold War essentially split the world into two competing sides, the Capitalists and the Communists. This conflict causes both the Korean War and Vietnam war, as well ongoing issues such as the fighting in Afghanistan. The Cold War was also remembering as the free and real world triumphed over the Communists utopian society. The Communists (the Soviets) tried to spread their idealogy across the world, however, due to a tough stance taken by the U.S.A this was not achieved. America, being a superpower, provided important military and economic backup to many nations to ensure their longevity and to ensure they did not prevail to the spread of communism. The threat of Communism to the real word was evident to the entire world during the Cuban missile crisis, however, due to political prowess by the Americans they were able to avoid a world disaster. The efforts of the Americans in the Cold War established them as a superpower of the world.
Biblio details:
War, Cold. "U-2 Spy Incident - Cold War - HISTORY.Com". HISTORY.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 8 Aug. 2016.
Notes:
A detailed analysis of the U.S spy plane incident, from the origins of the first spy plane incident to the capture and exchange of Gary Powers and a captured Russian spy.
Biblio details:
"WGBH American Experience . Eisenhower | PBS". American Experience. N.p., 2016. Web. 8 Aug. 2016.
Notes:
This is a highly informative detailed account of the Espionage 1- U.S spy plane incident. This website features detailed discussions between both the Soviets and the U.S.A at the time of the incident
Biblio details:
"U2 Crisis". Spartacus Educational. N.p., 2016. Web. 8 Aug. 2016.
Notes:
This website reknowned for its historical insight into key world event provides a useful page on the Cold War, and in particular for my particular subject, the U2 spy plane incident.
Biblio details:
Bridge Of Spies. America: Steven Spielberg, 2015. film.
Notes:
While mainly focused on the events surrounding the exchange of spies, the film provides a useful visual insight into the circumstances leading up to espionage 1 spy plane incident.
Biblio details:
Moynahan, Brian and Sarah Jackson. The Russian Century. New York: Random House, 1994. Print.
Notes:
A detailed account of the history of Russia, including useful analysis of the Cold War and in turn the U.S spy plane incident.
Biblio details:
Kenez, Peter. A History Of The Soviet Union From The Beginning To The End. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Print.
Notes:
This book is an important resource for understand the history of Soviet union, including the thoughts and decision of the then Russian President Nikita Khrushchev at the time of the U2 spy plane incident.
Espionage 1- The U.S spy plane incident - By Liam Reardon
"I was a pilot flying an airplane and it just so happened that, where I was flying, made what I was doing spying" - Gary Powers
Source 1- This source depicts an American U2 plane used to spy on Soviet bases. This type of plane, named the 'U-2', flew at altitudes that could not be reached or targeted at by Soviet missiles of the time. This type of plane was crucial to longevity of the spying, however, in time the Russians designed a plane that could reach such altitudes as the U-2 could.
Summary and background info: In July 1957, the U.S President of the time, Dwight D. Eisenhower created a covert intelligent base in Pakistan that would enable U-2 spy planes to fly over USSR military territory for surveillance. The aim of these fly over missions was to establish how powerful the Soviets nuclear weapons were. It was largely known that the Soviets believed they had state of the art nuclear weapons, however, there was no evidence to prove this. For nearly four years the Americans gained vital information of the USSR by this espionage, including that the USSR nuclear power was far less than claimed by the Soviets themselves. The Soviets were aware of these fly overs taking place, however, they were powerless to stop them due to their missiles being unable to reach U.S.A spying aircrafts. By early 1960 the Soviets had developed a new air missile that could now target longer ranges, and so on the 1st of May 1960, the Union of Soviet Socialist republic (USSR) shot down an American U-2 spy plane in Soviet territory. The pilot of the spy plane was Francis Gary Powers, who himself was on direct order from President Dwight D. Einsenhower and the CIA to fly over USSR military bases and execute photographic evidence of USSR militaristic expansion.
(Department of State Bulletin, May 23,1960, p. 818-819)
The Department has received the text of Mr. Krushchev's further remarks about the unarmed plane which is reported to have been shot down in the Soviet Union. As previously announced, it was known that a U-2 plane was missing. As a result of the inquiry ordered by the President it has been established that insofar as the authorities in Washington are concerned there was no authorization for any such flight as described by Mr. Khrushchev.
Nevertheless it appears that in endeavoring to obtain information now concealed behind the Iron Curtain a flight over Soviet territory was probably undertaken by an unarmed civilian U-2 plane.
It is certainly no secret that, given the state of the world today, intelligence collection activities are practiced by all countries, and postwar history certainly reveals that the Soviet Union has not been lagging behind in this field.
The necessity for such activities as measures for legitimate national defense is enhanced by the excessive secrecy practiced by the Soviet Union in contrast to the free world.
One of the things creating tension in the world today is apprehension over surprise attack with weapon of mass destruction.
To reduce mutual suspicion and to give a measure of protection against surprise attack the United States in 1955 offered its open-skies proposal -- a proposal which was rejected out of hand by the Soviet Union. It is in relation to the danger of surprise attack that planes
of the type of unarmed civilian U-2 aircraftave made flights along the frontiers of the free world for the past 4 years.
Source 3 - This cartoon is from a soviet cartoonist appearing in a local Soviet newspaper in May, 1962. The source suggests that the U-2 plane in picture is being constantly disguised to avoid Soviet watch. The plane is being painted white as a camouflage so that the Soviets cannot view the planes flying overhead.
Perspectives: The U2 spy plane incident in May 1960, was a focal point in the Cold War which raised tensions between the two camps. As to be expected, both sides having very differing views regarding the alleged espionage. The Americans perspective was that spying was necessary in order to keep track on Soviet military expansion. It was well documented in the media that the Soviets had developed a nuclear bomb more powerful and destructive than any other available in the world, giving them a distinct advantage over the Americans. The Americans used the spying as way to either prove or dispel these rumours, as well as comparing their weapons compared to the Russians. The Americans initially denied the attack, however, they were forced to admit to the espionage due to overwhelming evidence found on Gary Powers plane. Contrast to this is the Soviets approach regarding the issue, the Soviets believed that the spying was unfair and was a ploy from the Americans to steal Soviet ideas. As to be expected, the Soviets took a tenacious stance on the issue, with negotiations being almost near impossible.
Source 4- This source in the front page of the New York times on the 4th of August 1960 shows a headline about the Gary Powers trial in Russia. Gary Powers received 10 years for espionage, with many critics detailing this sentence as harsh. This source further corroborates this sentiment, with the headline 'Eisenhower finds it severe'.
Source 5 - This cartoon appeared in a Russian newspaper in 1960 detailing the use of the spy planes by the Americans. This source reveals the attitudes of the Soviets towards the U.S.A, that is the Americans were using the spy planes for the reasons of spying on Soviet land and surveillance on Soviet military expansion.
Implications:
Due to overwhelming evidence against the U.S.A’s espionage, President Eisenhower was left to no alternative option but to admit the truth of the spy operation. Gary Powers, a man simply doing the task he was assigned to do, was sent to 10 years imprisonment on espionage charges under Soviet laws. Powers served one year and nine months of the sentence before being released in an exchange for captured Russian spy Rudolf Abel. There were many short and long term implications of the U2 spy plane incident. A summit was organised for the 14th of May 1960 to help ease the growing tension between the USSR and to discuss issues relating to nuclear weapon ban and Berlin. At the summit, the Soviet president Khrushchev demanded an apology from Eisenhower, however, Eisenhower refused and Khrushchev left the summit straight away. Some of the consequences of the collapsed summit meeting were, there was no test ban treat, there was no talk about the growing problem of Berlin, which consequently led to the creation of the Berlin Wall.
Source 6- This source presents the flight route taken by U-2 spy planes enroute to Soviet land. This source explains a subtle yet crucial part of the flight journey, the starting point - Pakistan. In 1957, the then President of the U.S.A, Dwight Eisenhower, struck a deal with Pakistan officials to create a military start point in Pakistani land. As Pakistan was on the border of Soviet land, this enabled spying to be short, precise and well planned, as well as reducing the risk of Soviet defence attacks due to the short distance having to be travelled by American U-2 spy planes.
Link to view my Timetoast:
https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/cold-war-c914a902-5e10-46b0-a068-b27c470baa67
Q1- “Cold War? Heck, it was a hot war!” (Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defence 1961 – 1968)
To what extent do you agree with Robert McNamara’s statement that it was a ‘hot war’?
-The words Cold War are defined by a state of political hostility between countries epitomised through political and economical actions, however, not by military action. While the Cold War was not a militaristic battle, Robert McNamara’s quote has a certain element of truth about it. The Cold War is characterized as not being a violent war, however, due to the tensions between U.S.A and the Soviets there were in fact moments of actual violence “Although the shooting war is over, we are in the midst of a cold war which is getting warmer.”Bernard Baruch, US businessman, 1947. The Korean War that occurred between June 25, 1950 and July 27, 1953 was a violent was in which the South Koreans and North Koreans fought. The North Korean communist army were joined by Communist Soviet forces, whilst the American’s joined the South Koreans in the fight. In this battle 55,000 Americans died, on top of this there were in excess of 250,000 Korean casualties, proving that the Cold War was not just a battle of propaganda. Moreover, there was multiple small scale incidents that involved the fatalities of people on either side, such as Rudolf Anderson who was the only person shot down during the Cuban Missile crisis. While the Cold war was not violent in nature, there were particular deaths as a results of the growing pressure between the two countries that could justify the title of a ‘hot war’.
Q2 Why is the Cold War worth remembering?
- The Cold war, while being a dark stain on the world at the time, provided many reasons as to why it was worth remembering. The Cold War forged the new path for weaponry of choice, with outdated gun warfare being replaced by the much more powerful and damaging nuclear warfare. The Cold War essentially split the world into two competing sides, the Capitalists and the Communists. This conflict causes both the Korean War and Vietnam war, as well ongoing issues such as the fighting in Afghanistan. The Cold War was also remembering as the free and real world triumphed over the Communists utopian society. The Communists (the Soviets) tried to spread their idealogy across the world, however, due to a tough stance taken by the U.S.A this was not achieved. America, being a superpower, provided important military and economic backup to many nations to ensure their longevity and to ensure they did not prevail to the spread of communism. The threat of Communism to the real word was evident to the entire world during the Cuban missile crisis, however, due to political prowess by the Americans they were able to avoid a world disaster. The efforts of the Americans in the Cold War established them as a superpower of the world.